SPORTSBIZ -- KEVIN KLEPS

In Chris Grant's case, GM could stand for grand magician

Cavaliers general manager Chris Grant has made four top-four overall picks the last three years.

That, in itself, is nothing to admire.

One, All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving, seems like a no-brainer now, but two years ago, many Cavs fans — and members of the media — preferred Derrick Williams.

In back-to-back years — 2011 and 2012 — Grant drafted players at No. 4 who were widely panned.

In 2011, Tristan Thompson was a shocking choice at No. 4. And while he might never be an All-Star, he has certainly proven to be effective. In 10 games this past April, Thompson averaged 13.7 points and 10.8 rebounds, and he posted five double-doubles.

The next year, it was Dion Waiters' turn to be an outside-the-box No. 4 choice, and the shooting guard certainly has his flaws — mainly, his lack of a consistent outside shot. But Waiters was second among all rookies in scoring (14.6) and third among first-year players in assists (3.0) last season.

Thursday night, as if he had anything to prove in this department, Grant made his most shocking selection yet.

Anthony Bennett wasn't among the top four candidates most often discussed as possibilities for the Cavs at No. 1 overall in the 2013 draft — Alex Len, Nerlens Noel, Ben McLemore and Otto Porter were in that quartet.

But Bennett might be the most talented offensive player in a weak draft class, and he might, to borrow a phrase from Jay Bilas, have the most upside.

That's what I like about the pick for the Cavs. Instead of taking a big man with injury issues (Len and Noel), Grant swung for the fences.

He didn't worry about filling a specific position need — Bennett likely can't play a lot of minutes at small forward — and instead took whom he thought was the best player.

I preferred McLemore, but I understand why the Cavs would like Bennett better.

He's 6-foot-7, he can score (16.1 points in 27.1 minutes per contest as a freshman at UNLV last season) and he can shoot (37.5% from 3-point range in 2012-13).

Karasev could fill a need at small forward, and at 19, he gives the Cavs six potential building blocks — Irving, Thompson, Waiters, Bennett, Karasev and Tyler Zeller — age 23 and under.

It's not the Cavs' fault this draft didn't have a typical no-doubt-about-it No. 1 pick.

It would have been nice to see them do more — trading the top pick for a young All-Star and/or dealing the 19th, 31st and 33rd selections for a young veteran or a higher pick — but this draft had so few impact players, the Cavs' four trade chips (their picks) weren't as valuable.

So Grant stood pat and took a chance on one of the few players in the NBA draft's Class of 2013 who could be an All-Star.

Anthony Bennett isn't your typical No. 1 pick.

But it's Grant's job to take the best player.

Again, he surprised us.

And again, he might be proven correct.

The Tribe is a hit on TV

The Indians' win over the Orioles on Wednesday night on SportsTime Ohio was the top-rated television broadcast in the Cleveland market, according to a Fox Sports Ohio spokeswoman. The Indians-Orioles game generated a 6.2 rating — the 24th time in 73 contests in which the Tribe posted a rating of at least 6 this season.

The Indians already have had more games with a TV rating of 6 or better than they did all of last season, and their average rating for the season reached a two-month high following Wednesday's broadcast — 5.24.

Compared to the first 73 games last season, the Indians' ratings are up 8.6% this season.

Could Haslam sell the Browns?

Ozanian makes the argument that the NFL's bigger concern right now isn't Aaron Hernandez, it's a team that "should be one of football's flagship small-market franchises" being owned by someone whose family company is under fire for defrauding customers.

"Credit ratings for Pilot Flying J have been put on negative watch for possible downgrade by both Moody's Investors Service and Standard & Poor's," Ozanian writes.

His conclusion: "Don't be shocked if (Jimmy) Haslam unloads his team. It might be the best thing for both the Browns and the NFL."

There are rocky offseasons, and there are Cleveland Browns offseasons.

The year isn't even half over, and it seems like it's only going to get worse for Haslam, who, only eight months ago, was seen as the much-needed new face of the Browns.

Now we're left to wonder if he will be the new face of something much worse: Another chapter in a history of things going horribly wrong for a once-storied franchise.

You can follow me on Twitter for sports information, analysis and much more on an NBA draft that was so wacky it might be best remembered for David Stern's epic performance as the heel.

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